Actors Theatre of Louisville's 2012-13 season kicks off with the William Shakespeare classic Romeo and Juliet, officially opening Sept. 6, following previews that began Sept. 4, in the Pamela Brown Auditorium in Kentucky.

Elvy Yost

The production, described as a "high-octane and energetic contemporary retelling," is directed by Drama Desk nominee Tony Speciale and continues through Sept. 24 as part of the company's Brown-Forman Series.

Here's how ATL bills the Shakespeare classic: "Two star-crossed lovers from bitterly feuding families risk everything to be together, as a new generation strains against the limits of a world their parents have defined in one of the most famous love stories ever written with all of the immediacy, danger and romance that have made it endure for centuries."

Now entering its 49th season, Actors Theatre of Louisville, the State Theatre of Kentucky, is the recipient of a special Tony Award for Distinguished Achievement, the James N. Vaughan Memorial Award for Exceptional Achievement and Contribution to the Development of Professional Theatre, and the Margo Jones Award for the Encouragement of New Plays. The company produces a range of classical and contemporary work with more than 500 performances each season. Read more about the company's 2012-13 season here.